Bооtie's eyes held a trace of sorrow.
Stelle had no time to make out the details. She only saw Bооtie's gaze briefly sweep over her before he looked away.
Bооtie turned to leave.
"Hey, Bооtie, wait."
On impulse, the Trailblazer called out to him.
"Hmm?"
As if surprised to hear his name called so suddenly, Bооtie halted and looked back.
He had expected to see the girl looking at him with utter confusion. He had expected her to question why he was being so inexplicably sarcastic. He had expected her to be unable to swallow the insult and snap back at him.
But there was nothing of the sort.
Bооtie only heard the Trailblazer say:
"Being a Space Ranger really is hard work. You've worked hard, Bооtie. When I come back from my next warp, I'll bring you some local gifts."
The moment he turned around, he fell into the golden, glittering ocean in the girl's eyes.
On the verge of drowning, he hurriedly spoke before slipping into the crowd.
"No, no need."
"That was weird."
Watching Bооtie's rapidly retreating figure, the Trailblazer helplessly shrugged.
She knew Space Rangers were eccentric and impossible to predict, appearing and disappearing without a trace.
In short, no one in that miraculous organization could be summed up by common sense.
Bооtie was like that, and Rappa was even more so.
As long as someone was human, there would always be a few irritable days every month.
Bооtie must have reached those few days of the month.
Once she understood that chain of cause and effect, she understood why Bооtie had sounded like he'd swallowed gunpowder.
The Trailblazer nodded in praise of her own intelligence as she put her hands on her hips and left Aideen Park.
No more wasting time in Golden Hour. She should wander around Penacony a little more and look for her next target.
Bооtie fled to a corner, took a deep breath, and secretly looked back, hoping to catch one last glimpse of Stelle.
One last glimpse.
Unfortunately, the Trailblazer had already vanished.
Bооtie couldn't even see her back.
He suddenly felt a little annoyed. Would things have been better if he hadn't spoken to the Trailblazer with such barbed words just now?
When the Trailblazer said she would bring him a gift, why couldn't he have stopped acting so tsundere and simply said thank you?
Sigh, too bad there were no do-overs.
Bооtie blankly stared in the direction the Trailblazer had gone.
If only he hadn't gotten so jealous!
Just great. He had finally reunited with the Trailblazer after so long, and he had made such a mess of things.
Aha: The two scripts for this time have been issued as well. Remember to come find me in your dreams after you fall asleep~
Stelle: Huh? Dr. Ratio was taken down so easily, yet he's worth two scripts?
Aha: That's right. Although you didn't win over Bооtie, the Elation value detected that his affection for you is steadily rising.
Stelle: ? Another guy who's been conquering himself?
Aha: Bооtie's brain's synesthesia coordinates have short-circuited. He keeps imagining that the two of you were Space Rangers long ago, punishing evil together. Just consider this extra script a gift from heaven.
The Trailblazer nodded without really understanding. Was that so? So that was what was going on. No wonder.
That explained everything.
That gaze which had been watching her from the shadows all along had definitely belonged to Bооtie.
No wonder Bооtie had been sarcastic for no reason. He must have seen her together with Dr. Ratio.
In a sense, this seemed to be a one-sided love triangle?
Only Bооtie had successfully entered the world of a love triangle.
No matter what, the outcome was good.
After all, she had gained an unexpected script.
The Trailblazer walked from Golden Hour to Origami University without encountering a second character she could win over.
She already had two scripts and had completed her mission perfectly, so it would have been completely fine to return to the Express just like this.
Even so, Stelle suddenly changed direction and headed for the restaurant.
There was no particular reason. She just wanted an Oak Cake Roll.
She emerged from the restaurant, carrying two large bags of delicious food with great satisfaction. They included, but were not limited to, Stargazy Pie, Herring Lemon Tarts, Clover Salad, Clockie Pizza, and classic Soolada.
Yes! She could look forward to returning to the Express and stuffing herself with high-sugar, high-fat, unhealthy junk food that brought excessive joy.
With that thought in mind, the Trailblazer left Penacony.
On her way back to the Express, she could not stop scenes of their future arrival on Amphoreus from surfacing in her mind.
A frozen March 7th, a gravely injured Little Azure Dragon,
and herself, seemingly reduced to a scattered soul.
Oh dear, oh dear.
Just thinking about it made her heart ache a little.
So, the first thing the Trailblazer did after boarding the Express was—
hold a food convention!
That day, anyone passing through the parlor car—whether Welt or Himeko—would see the same bizarre sight—
The small table was covered in snacks, while the Trailblazer sat in the very middle of the sofa.
To her right was March 7th, happily raising a slice of pizza, stuffing it into her entire mouth, then washing it down smoothly with Soolada.
To her left was Dan Heng, who looked utterly unwilling. He seemed to have been grabbed by the Trailblazer's clothes and prevented from leaving, forcing him to participate in this food convention, yet refusing to put anything except purified water into his mouth.
Although someone was being extremely uncooperative.
The Trailblazer narrowed her eyes, trying to threaten the Little Azure Dragon beside her with a dangerous glare and make him submit obediently. But he remained unmoved, resolutely refusing to bow to the junk food before him.
But—
This must have been the last, and only, happy time before they set foot on Amphoreus.
The Trailblazer drank enough Soolada to get carried away. Raising her cup, she clinked it with March 7th's and Dan Heng's on either side.
"Everyone, the fact that we're gathered here today is fate!
"So I'll just say a few words. First, the development of this Express cannot be separated from everyone's... [two hundred words omitted]. Second... [omitted]. Third... [still omitted].
"Alright, that's enough. For our tomorrow, you drink, I'll take it easy!"
Dan Heng: ???
March 7th: ???
Welt and Himeko, passing by: ???
Although she was utterly shaken, March 7th still cooperatively clinked cups with the Trailblazer and drained the Soolada in her cup in one gulp. Dan Heng was forced to clink cups with the Trailblazer. He held up his glass of water in shock, unable to recover for a long while.
No, could someone tell him whether the Trailblazer's tolerance had become this terrible?
She used to pass out after just two sips of alcohol. Had she now reached the point where even drinking Soolada made her lose her mind?
Did she no longer need alcohol to start acting drunk? Was this the legendary "Soolada doesn't intoxicate people; people intoxicate themselves"?
Before you continue